Overnight Delivery
by EternalSorrow
Summary: AU. With a normal life as a human and policegirl, Seras one day receives a mysterious package from an unknown sender. Her world turns to chaos as she is forced by fate to solve the mystery. AxS
1. Sender Unknown

A/N: A late release for this almost-finished story, as several chapters have already been placed on my site.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing, just it's characters.

**Sender Unknown**

Seras sat upon her couch drinking a cup of steaming coffee, the rain drizzling down upon the tired window panes of her small apartment. She sighed deeply as she looked to the police uniform hanging upon the door to her bedroom, the cloth wrinkled from the latest practical joke.

Seras had gone to the police station and had quickly been called to the chief's office, which she thought had been strange since her shift had started after his time. However, she had shrugged off her doubts and entered the office, only to be doused with a bucket of water from overhead. To make matters worse, the bucket had landed squarely upon her head, causing a large bump to develop.

Tentatively she touched the top of her head, wincing at the pain as she came into contact with the egg. She did not look forward to washing her hair tomorrow morning.

Sighing again, Seras noticed her cup was empty and stood from the couch, her long t-shirt sliding up almost past her hips. She scowled and roughly pulled the cloth down, wondering why she wore such a skimpy outfit.

"It's not like I have anyone to show it off to" she mumbled to herself as she wandered over to her small kitchen.

Other than the rain, the night was eerily quiet as she walked to the coffee maker, the lights of her apartment her only comfort. She blinked sleepily at the late hour, but was determined to get some practice in for her new shift. She had recently been assigned to the night shift, a position she hadn't wanted but one she couldn't argue against. As the new recruit on the force, she was stuck with whatever meager post she could grab.

And now, because of her reputation from the academy somewhat as a kitten, Seras had spent her first night drenched by the local practical jokers. The member in charge had at least taken pity upon her and allowed her early leave, but she still was forced to go through five miserable hours in her wet suit.

Fortunately her duties had been easy as very little activity had taken place on such a dreary night. She had taken a few calls from annoyed citizens and had typed out paperwork which no one else was willing to fill out.

However, Seras' night had taken a turn toward a more interesting path with a phone call at the end of her shift. She had answered with the usual greeting and question, but instead of receiving a complaint she herself had been given a query.

"_When will you be off?"_

Seras shivered at the remembrance of the phone call as she poured herself more coffee. The voice had been ice cold and the words had chilled her through the bone. She had held the phone at arms length in surprise, her mind trying to find a way to cope with the person on the line. Unfortunately, her superior had picked a poor time to come up to her and announce she could leave early.

With a horrified expression Seras had quickly placed her ear against the received and had heard only the sound of a dead line. The person on the other end had hung up.

Now here Seras was, alone in her apartment on such a poor night with the mysterious call still lingering in her thoughts. Telling her superior about the call had produced a limited reaction from him, as he probably thought she was playing her own joke. However, he had been kind enough to attempt to trace the call, but caller had not been on the line long enough to specify the number. He had shrugged her worries off and had shoved her out the door of the police station, telling her he hardly believed anyone would wish to stalk the new kitten.

"Who indeed" Seras sighed as she stopped before the full length mirror which hung upon the far living room wall.

Seras shook her head at her disheveled hair and worn shirt, the picture not pleasing at all to her eyes. She hardly doubted anyone would find such a sight attractive, regardless of her well-endowed chest. The caller was merely teasing her with their stupid prank.

The young woman shuffled her way back to the couch and the storm seemed to grow more intense with each passing minute, causing her to become more nervous. Even with her officer's advice, she still could not shake the unsettling feeling something was coming. Suddenly lightning lit up the sky, casting light into the apartment as a loud knock was heard upon her door.

Seras jumped back in surprise and dropped her mug upon the carpet, but managed to muffle the shriek which threatened to break loose from her lips. She cursed herself and she stepped over the growing stain upon the floor and walked to the door, wondering who could be out at this hour of the night.

She had one idea, but she brushed the earlier phone call aside as paranoia. However, she was taking no chances.

"Who is it?" she called, waiting for a reply.

"Delivery, ma'am" a cheerful voice called back, breaking the mood of the night.

"Okay, one moment" she answered as she unlocked the latch of her door.

Cautiously Seras cracked open the portal, wondering if at any moment some psychotic man would come barreling into her apartment. To her utter relief she found an innocent-looking boy on the other side, his tired smiling face looking back at her own. He worse a simple uniform of black material while his hair was long and cut straight at about the neck. She would have sworn he was a girl but for the voice she had heard and the strange piercing eyes he held.

"A package for you, miss" he said, holding out a small box in his hands.

"At this time of night?" she asked as she opened the door wide, her arms reaching out to take the package.

"Special delivery" the boy answered, holding out a clipboard with a pen attached. "Please sign here."

"Oh, right" Seras said as she held the box in one hand and took the pen in the other. Hurriedly she scribbled her name upon the paper and returned the pen. "Thanks" she spoke as she handed the board back, but her hand slipped upon the sharp edge of the metal at the top. "Ouch" she muttered as a drop of blood fell from her finger onto the paper.

"Thank you" the mailman spoke with a smile as he tipped the plain hat he wore and began to walk down the hall, apparently ignoring the small accident.

Seras watched him walk and then turned her eyes down upon the package, her orbs looking about for a return name. Unfortunately she searched in vain as no name and address but her own was upon the package. She looked up to ask the boy who could have sent the box, but he had strangely disappeared from the long hallway. With a confused expression she stepped out and looked further down the passage, but there was no sign of the delivery boy.

Shrugging her shoulders, Seras stepped back into her room and quickly closed the door, locking the deadbolt once more. With curiosity, and ignoring the stain upon her carpet, she walked over to the couch and sat down upon the furniture. With a few quick tears the packaging was gone and she had the box open.

Tipping the container, Seras was surprised when a simple black book slid out and dropped into her lap. With a quizzical look upon her face, she set the empty box down and placed a hand upon the hardcover of the book. The binding was made from some sort of yellow while there appeared to be no title on the front. Tipping the cover open, she was disappointed to find empty page after empty page.

Seras shook her head in puzzlement and placed the book upon her coffee table while her eyes wandered over to the stain. She sighed and stood, wondering when the night would end so she could get some sleep. When she looked to the clock fixed upon her kitchen wall as she was grabbing some towels and found the time to be a little past midnight.

"Close enough" she muttered to herself as she returned to the living room and cleaned up the mess.

Seras finished her chore and dumped the dirty towels into her hamper, telling herself she needed to do laundry tomorrow as she was out of clean underwear. Stretching and yawning, she began to turn off all the lights in the apartment for bedtime. She gave the strange gift a passing glance as she shut off the table lamp beside the couch, the blank cover staring unimpressively back. Perhaps tomorrow she would be able to find the sender, maybe an apology from one of her coworkers for the prank.

Seras slid eagerly into her bed and gently laid her head upon the plush pillow, her eyes closing to await slumber. To her relief sleep quickly took her into the land of dreams and she drifted off into her own worlds.

However, tonight would be a new world altogether.

As she felt herself enter sleep, Seras suddenly found herself standing within a meadow surrounded by a dark forest. She blinked and looked around, wondering how she could have dreamed of such a place. The trees around her were foreboding as a strange wind blew around where she stood, rustling her thin night shirt. She hugged her arms around herself as an owl screeched in the distance while a pale full moon shone high above.

Seras was even aware she was dreaming, but try as she might she could not awaken from the strange apparition. With a shrug of her shoulders she decided to enjoy what her imagination had created for her delight. She took a step forward, but before she could move further she suddenly heard the crying of a small child. With a confused and worried expression she looked about for the source, finally pinpointing the sound not far into the trees.

Sprinting over to the tree line, Seras peered desperately into the thick foliage. Finally she spotted a dark spot huddled beneath a bush, the form quivering and giving off several whimpers of fear.

"Hello?" she called, slowing moving into the dense undergrowth. "Are you all right?" she asked, getting a response as the person's head shot up at the sound of her voice.

"Who's there?" the child asked as they stood to their feet, their voice revealing their gender as a small boy. "Mama?"

"Um, no" Seras replied as she stopped within a few short feet of the young one. She could barely discern the child's dark hair within the shadows of the night, and all other prominent features were blurry in her sight. "I'm a friend" she revealed, kneeling down to be face to face with the small child. "My name is Seras. What's yours?"

For a moment the boy hesitated, but the fear of the woods obviously overcame his fear of the young woman. He quickly jumped into Seras' arms, bursting into tears of relief as he buried his head into her shoulder.

"Please help me!" he pleaded, clutching tightly as she wrapped her arms around his quivering form. "I got lost from my dad, and I can't find my way home."

"Sure, I'll help you" she softly answered as she stood to her feet with the boy in her arms. He seemed so small and fragile. "Where do you live?"

"My father's castle should be somewhere around here, but I can't find it" he vaguely explained, giving little help to their search.

"Well, we'll just have to find it then, won't we?" Seras replied, brushing away the foliage with one hand as they emerged into the meadow. "This is as good a spot as any to start." She looked to the child in her arm. "Can you tell me which way your dad's castle might be?"

"North" the boy hesitantly replied, pointing in the said direction.

"All right, we'll try that way then" she announced in a cheerful voice, setting her steps into the dark forest.

Seras couldn't believe how real her dream had become as she trudged along with the child in her arms. Even his weight grew heavy and the dankness of the forest bothered her nose as they made their journey past the old trees. She could smell the boy, his sweet scent of aged smoke burnt onto his clothing, and feel his hair brush against her skin.

Suddenly the boy made a cry of glee as he pushed out of her arms and began running into the woods.

"Wait!" Seras cried, rushing after him as he quickly disappeared into the darkness.

As his footsteps faded into the distance she slowed down her eyes peering about in nervous fear as the dream took on more the appearance of a nightmare. She hugged her arms around herself against the cold night air and nervously glanced at the dark, foreboding trees and shook at the strange sounds coming from the shadows.

Suddenly Seras heard a strange chuckle, one which froze her blood cold. She turned her head this way and that but could not discern the direction of the owner. Then a cold hand was placed upon her shoulder, one with a vice-like grip which forced her to turn around and confront the person. The young woman gasped as she met ruby red eyes staring into her own through the darkness. Long white fangs gleamed within a pale face as a strange expression, one mixed with both fondness and cruelty, passed over their lips.

Before she could struggle the person moved forward as if to strike, their sharp teeth aiming toward her neck.

Seras awoke in a cold sweat as she clutched at her neck, her other hand shaking upon the bed sheets. She looked wildly around but could find no evidence of the terrifying forest nor of the strange person within the shadows. Then did the young woman breath a sigh of relief and fall back upon her pillow, wondering what the dream had been.

Hopefully she would not have another as she felt drowsiness sneak up on her calmed mind, allowing her some uninterrupted sleep before day held sway.

She certainly had never had one so vivid, nor one so terrifying, in her entire life.


	2. Chaos Erupts

A/N: Another chapter up for the addicts. For anyone reading this, more chapters are up on my site.

**Chaos Erupts**

Seras stumbled out of bed in the middle of the afternoon, her stomach telling her lunch was long past and supper was coming soon. She grumbled to herself as she took her shower and sat down for a healthy meal of chocolate cereal and coffee. The young woman reminded herself for the millionth time to stop by the grocery store on the way to work, as no convenience area could be found open on her way back to her apartment.

Finishing her meal as the sun made its decent in the sky, Seras stood to her feet and grabbed the keys to her car off the coffee table. She gave the strange book upon the surface a fleeting glance as she wondered whether one of her coworkers could answer the riddle of the unusual gift. However, seeing that the time was near to her shift she quickly brushed aside her curiosity and left her apartment, making sure to lock the door after herself.

Seras walked down the stairs to the bottom floor and strode to her car, her eyes falling upon her old car with some affection. As she slipped into the driver's seat and turned the ignition, the lights turned on and revealed the dark and deserted street. She turned out of her parking spot and began the fifteen minute drive to her place of occupation.

The trip was surprisingly quick as Seras soon neared the station, her headlights illuminating a better part of town so close to the police headquarters. With a stifled yawn she turned a corner, only to have her mouth frozen in the same position as the police station came into view.

Her comrades were walking all around the building while several cars were out front where she could plainly see barrier tape blocking off the sidewalk in front of the building. She slowed the car to a crawl and quietly parked the vehicle a distance, stepping out of the car with a bewildered expression upon her face. The young police girl began walking toward the scene, her eyes gazing about the mess of curious onlookers, strained police officer faces, and a general air of confusion.

"I...I can't remember anything" she heard a lieutenant slowly say to one of the questioning officers as she passed an open police car, his face contorted with disbelief. "One minute we were all doing our jobs, and the next thing anyone knew everyone was waking up and the place was a mess."

"You all slept through the attack?" the other officer asked as Seras walked by them.

Seras was not able to hear anymore of the interview as she was suddenly pulled aside by one of her superiors, a captain by the name of William Roy.

"Where have you been? Have you heard what happened?" he quickly asked her as he led her into the station. "The chief has been asking where you were."

Seras was barely able to shake her head in the negative when she viewed the inside of the building. The chairs were turned over and papers from the desks were scattered about the large room, with not a single piece of furniture untouched. The walls had been ripped of their posters and even the glass separating the superior officers' rooms had been broken.

"What a mess" Seras quietly spoke, her voice in awe over the chaos.

"Yeah. They found some of the guys on the ground dumped out of their chairs and others were on top of the mess" he explained, stepping over a fallen file cabinet. "But they really did a number to your stuff."

"What?!" Seras exclaimed as she rushed over to her desk and found his words to be true.

While the other desks had been rummaged through and then turned over, hers had been torn apart. Her drawers were splinters of their former selves and the top of the furniture had been broken in half. Her chair was now kindling and her papers looked like they had been run through a shredder. All that remained mostly intact was the frame of a picture which had once held her father, but now the photo was nowhere to be found.

Seras had been trained well enough not to touch the scene of a crime, but she desperately wished to search for her father's picture. She had very few copies of the photo and she prized them above all else. The young woman was just about to bend down to see if she could see the photo when she was startled from her thoughts.

"Seras" a voice suddenly called behind where she stood, catching her attention. She quickly turned to find the police chief, Harry Anders, standing behind. "May I talk with you for a moment?"

"Y-yes, sir" she stammered nervously, following her superior to a far corner of the cluttered and busy room.

When they reached the wall he turned and stood face to face with his obviously befuddled subordinate.

"Can you tell us anything about what happened and why your desk was their main focus?" he asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes looking at her intently.

"I'm not even sure what happened, sir" she truthfully responded, shaking her head in confusion.

"Well, we're not really sure what happened" Harry sighed, shaking his head as he looked about his ruined territory. "The men here were wide awake a little after sundown, and the next they were all waking up to find this carnage." He gave her a scrutinized look as one of his hands settled heavily upon her small shoulders. "Do you know anything about this, or why anyone would want to attack your desk in particular?"

"I honestly don't know anything, chief" she answered, blinking against his heavy, penetrating stare. "Nothing lately has happened" she informed, squirming beneath his grip.

For a long moment Harry held her in his grasp, his eyes unblinking as he looked into her innocent face. Then he sighed and dropped his arm, shaking his head as he gave her a small smile.

"I suppose they must have seen your name plate and decided you were a good target, kitten" he said, playfully using her pet name. "Anyway, there's nothing you can do here at the moment. I've given your colleagues the night off while the forensic specialists search the area, so you may as well go home, too."

"Yes, sir" Seras responded as she nodded her head and turned to leave.

However, she was stopped from going as Harry spoke one last time.

"And kitten" he said, a twinkle in his eye as she turned to look at him. "Be careful out there. You never know what information these professionals stole" he advised, a seriousness to his tone.

Seras nodded her head in understanding and worked her way through the mess, being mindful not to touch anything. She eventually made her way out the front doors and into the cool night air, the crowds of onlookers long dispersed and the police beginning their careful peruse of the area. She nodded her head in greeting as she padded them by, but they appeared to be intent on finding evidence to the baffling case.

Seras reached her car and sat behind the wheel, her mind clicking with a memory she had forgotten during the excitement. Harry had asked her if anything had been going on, and she had entirely forgotten about the prank phone call and arrival of the mysterious book.

"Tomorrow I'll tell him" as she stifled a yawn with her hand, her bed looking tempting as she turned on the car and heading back toward her apartment.

The drive was uneventful and she again climbed the stairs to her floor, the hallway lights dimly leading the way to her door. However, when she reached the portal she noticed a light beneath the frame, and she knew she had not left any on when she had gone to work. The door was also slightly ajar, but did not show any signs of forced entry.

One of Seras' hands reached down to hold the butt of the gun at her waist as the other slowly pushed the door open. She peeked her head in and found a surprise waiting for her on the couch in the form of a tall, darkly dressed woman.

"Well, come in" the women suddenly spoke, startling the police officer as the door seemed to swing open on itself. "I don't bite...often."

"Who are you and what are you doing in my apartment?" Seras questioned in a firm voice as she stepped fully into the living room.

"I'm a friend" the stranger replied, eyes the gun with a bit of humor in her dark violet eyes. "I saw your door was ajar and decided to protect your abode until you came back."

"I swore I locked that door" she slowly spoke as she kept a firm grasp on the gun at her hip.

"You must have forgotten" the strange woman responded, smiling widely. "Strange dreams can do that to you."

At those words Seras froze, her eyes wide in confusion as she looked to the woman seated comfortably upon her couch. No one could have known her strange dream from the night before, as she had not had time nor the opportunity to tell a soul, but yet this intruder knew with total confidence in her voice.

"Who are you?" Seras repeated her question, stepping forward in a threatening tone, though the effect was the complete opposite of the one she desired.

"I'm afraid your not very frightening, child" the woman said with a laugh. Then she suddenly turned serious, her eyes flashing with a strange light. "My name is irrelevant, but if you insist you may have it. Narcissa."

"And what are you doing here?" the police girl asked, grateful to have some cooperation from her unwanted guest.

"Ahh, now you come to the important question" Narcissa spoke as she slowly raised one of her hands. Within her grasp she held the strange book, the cover dull in the light. "Where did you get this book and when did it come?"

"I'm the one who will be asking the questions" Seras quickly replied as her hand twitched on the butt of the gun.

"Suit yourself" the woman responded in a nonchalant manner as she set the book upon her lap. "But you won't get answers with that attitude" she teasingly added, her head leaning down as her eyes looked upward at the police kitten. "Though I doubt you'll ask the right questions, anyway."

"What do you mean?" Seras asked, mindful to keep the door ajar behind her ash she took a step further into the room.

"Ah, there's the reaction I was looking for" Narcissa responded with more enthusiasm, a grin crossing her face. "And I'm referring to this dear little gift someone left you" she explained holding aloft the dark covered piece of empty literature. "I'm curious" she added, giving Seras a sidelong glance. "Who wrote the first few pages?"

"Don't play games with me" Seras threatened, inching her way over to the phone. She now dearly regretted not having bought a cellphone. "There's nothing written in that book."

"Are you so sure?" the woman asked, giving a small chuckle. "Perhaps you want to look for yourself" she spoke as she suddenly threw the square object in Seras' direction.

Without thinking the Police Girl dove for the book, managing to catch the item before it hit the ground. However, she realized her foolish predicament quite quickly as a shadow rose over her lying form, forcing her to look up into the amused face of Narcissa.

"A little protective, are we?" she teased, kneeling down in front of the apartment's owner. "Perhaps there is a reason you have the book."

Seras made no reply as she carefully watched the woman's movements, mindful to be aware of any sudden attacks. Her expression must have revealed her thoughts as the intruder clucked her tongue and shook her head in disappointment.

"You're losing your focus, little one" Narcissa spoke, rising to her feet and allowing Seras some room to breath. "Don't you want to look in the book?" she inquired, catching the kitten's attention.

Seras gave the guest a quizzical look as she slowly, cautiously rose up into a sitting position, the book in her lap. With one eye on the woman, she carefully opened the book's cover. To her utter amazement, words were now written upon the pages. She quickly flipped through and found Narcissa's words to be true, as the letters stared back at her confused face.

What terrified her more, however, was the story told on those few pages.

As Seras skimmed through a few of the paragraphs, she realized the story told nearly resembled the dream she'd had the night before. The darkness of the trees, the lost boy, all the details stood out to her eager eyes. The only portion of the tale missing was any mention of her having been in the woods with the small boy.

With an expression of complete puzzlement Seras lifted her eyes upward into the face of the bemused Narcissa, one word upon her lips.

"How?"

Narcissa returned her simple question with a smile, her eyes one more flashing with an eerie light.

"Now we're getting to the right questions."


	3. Late Night Discussion

A/N: Another chapter up and ready to be read.

**Late Night Discussion**

Narcissa comfortably seated herself upon the couch as Seras slowly stood to her feet, the book clutched in her arms. The young police woman scowled at the other's comfortable attitude in her home, though for now she was more curious than angered.

"Did you do this?" Seras asked, casting a suspicious glance at her unwanted quest.

"Have you truly looked at the handwriting, little one?" Narcissa replied, smirking at her hostess. "You insult me with such an assumption."

Seras silently admitted her unwanted guest had a point as she opened the book and glanced upon the pages. The scroll resembled that of a child's, with the exception of a few old terms and precise wording for the descriptions of the area. She was puzzled by the appearance of words in the formerly empty item, but at the moment she needed to be more focused on the visitor at hand.

"So this is what you're after?" Seras questioned, looking up from the pages to peer at the woman on her couch.

"Precisely" the guest answered, a hand picking at a loose string of the couch as if bored. "However, something unexpected has caught my attention" she added as she turned her eyes upon the young police woman. "You present quite the puzzle, little girl."

"What do you mean me?" the kitten asked, a confused expression upon her face. "I don't know what you're talking about, but if it's this book you want you can have it" she spoke, holding out the item in offering. "And then you can leave and never come back" she finished as she gestured a hand toward the door.

"You're truly giving it to me?" she asked in surprise, a look of elation spreading across her face. She eagerly held out her hand for the item, but her expression quickly changed as she shook her head in dismay and pulled back her arm. "No, I'm afraid it won't work that way. You see, you were given the book for a reason, and I am here to find that reason."

"Then I'm afraid I'm going to have to force you to leave" Seras threatened as she quickly took her gun from its holster and pointed the barrel at her intruder.

"I'm afraid that won't work, girl" Narcissa replied as a smile drew across her lips and her eyes seemed to glow with an unearthly light.

Seras' eyes widened as her fingers froze upon the trigger, her body disobeying her commands to move as Narcissa rose from the couch in a fluid motion. The woman chuckled as she stood before the police girl, a slim, pale hand coming up to slide across her shoulder. She began circling the officer, her fingers gliding upward and following the length of her neck.

"I honestly don't see what is so interesting about you" she commented as she moved once more to face Seras. "You have a weak will, too weak to disobey me, but you were given charge of such an important object." She took a step forward, her eyes boring into her frozen hostess'. "But perhaps I shall find the answer to my question" she spoke as her hand came up to cup her cheek. "Sleep."

Seras felt her eyes close the moment the command was spoken and her mind slipped into the world of slumber. She had scarcely seen darkness, however, when her world seemed to open up before her into another place and time. The young woman found herself lying upon the ground, her uniform still on but her gun noticeably missing.

Seras looked about her surroundings in wonder as she slowly rose from a cold stone floor. Instead of the forest of darkness which she expected to find, she was standing in the midst of a giant domed room filled with Islamic scripture and shining walls. The only familiar portion of the dream was the moonlight which streamed down through the stained glass windows nestled high above where she stood, illuminating the gold trim on the columns and walls.

Seras took a single step and flinched as the sound of her footstep echoed noisily in the area. The sudden sound of angered voices and hurried steps alerted her to the approach of a large group of people, and she frantically looked about for a place to hide. Her attention was caught by a small noise, as if someone trying to catch her notice, coming from a small alcove in one of the walls.

To Seras' surprise she noticed a young boy beckoning to her from the shadows, his gesture one of urgency as the voices grew louder. She followed his advice and quickly sprinted over to where he stood, her expression one of confusion and growing fear. He, however, appeared composed and merely turned to walk deeper into the alcove, which from her new angle was revealed to be a small, hidden passage.

Seras hesitated for a mere second as the boy disappeared into the darkness of the walkway, but looking over her shoulder and catching a glimpse of clothing forced her mind as she stepped into the area. With baited breath she placed her hand upon a wall and began following her guide, his light footsteps barely heard above the din of the people behind. To her relief, though, they appeared not to know about the passage and with each step their voices grew fainter.

Soon the way ahead grew brighter with the flickering light of a candle as she soon stepped out into a small room. She looked around in curiosity as the walls appeared, their space filled with torn book pages dotted scribbled over with black ink and splattered with red ink.

"What is this place?" she asked the solemn youth, her eyes finally resting upon the boy who stood behind a table in the center of the room.

His face was almost expressionless as he stared unblinkingly at his guest, his arms dropped to his side. The whole effect gave the young woman a chill and she took a step back, wondering if she had made a mistake in following him to this lonely room.

"They will find you" he suddenly spoke, startling her enough to force a jump from her body. "Then they will torture you without mercy."

"But why would they?" she asked, confused by his words. "I haven't done anything. And who are they?"

"What is your name?" he asked, completely ignoring her questions.

"Seras...Seras Victoria" she hesitantly answered, biting her lip in a nervous motion. "What's yours?" she questioned in turn, though she was disappointed when he merely stared at her without intention of responding.

Instead one of his arms moved to rest his hands upon a book on the table before his lean form, his eyes never ceasing their watch over her.

"You helped me before" he slowly spoke, as if addressing a child who would not understand. "So I shall give you a gift" he offered as his fingers suddenly pushed the item toward the young woman.

Indeed Seras did not comprehend what he was saying, but his figure and face were familiar to her memories. However, she swallowed her fear and confusion and stepped forward to look at the offered book. As her eyes set upon the cover, she was shocked to recognize the book she had been sent and which Narcissa held so much interest in. To her dismay, however, the lettering upon the front appeared blurry in this strange dreamland, disallowing her from reading the title.

Instead Seras opened the cover and read the first few familiar passages, her fingers flipping through the pages until she drew to the end. To her surprise she found much more written with the book, but a sudden noise in the passage distracted her attention from the reading.

Seras turned just in time to view a large group of armed guards enter through the hall, their faces angered as they rushed at both her and the boy. The youth jumped over the table and stood before her, what she could see of his expression unfaltering as the men fell upon them.

"Keep it safe" were the last words she heard from his lips as Seras was violently woken from her sleep, her eyes wandering about for a moment in confusion until she recognized her small apartment.

Rubbing her temples as she sat up from the floor, Seras noticed Narcissa upon the couch with the book open upon her lap. A strange expression was upon her face, one which could only be described as a mix of jealousy and intrigue, and her eyes held the same strange light within their depths. However, she soon turned her face upward from where she was staring down upon the pages, her face quickly turning to one of cool calmness.

"Well, I see you've had quite the time" she commented as she casually rose from the couch and almost gently deposited the book upon the coffee table. "That will be enough for tonight" she informed as she walked toward the door. However, she placed her hand upon the knob and stopped as she looked over her shoulder with a wide grin.

"But I'll be back another time" she informed as she opened the door and let herself out.

Seras was thus left alone in her quiet apartment, her memories and thoughts jumbled into a mass of confusion and infinite curiosity as her eyes slowly turned toward the innocent looking item upon her table. She unsteadily stood to her feet and walked over to the book, her hands shaking as they reached out to grab the sides and lift the item into her arms.

Seras then settled herself upon the couch where Narcissa had sat, half expecting to find a warm spot from the woman's body heat and thoroughly mystified when there was none. Mentally shrugging and sitting cross legged upon the cushions, she opened the cover and flipped through the first few pages involving the forest dream. To her amazement, as she reached the end of her first dream, the story continued as if a biography documenting a person's life.

She read as the boy she had comforted grew a few years older and was forced, through his father's poor management of their wealth and power, to become a hostage in a far off land. The boy and his brother were tortured unmercifully by their captors and the young child she knew grew to be a quiet and brooding youth. The imagery was graphic concerning the devices used, and she quickly skipped farther ahead to the final page of writing.

Then Seras came upon the scene of capture which had so abruptly ended her dream, and the tale also ended. She noticed even the handwriting had changed, from the scribbling of a child to the refined hand of a youth. Closing the cover and staring off into space with her thoughts, she was completely dumbfounded by the events of the evening.

The chaos at the police station which seemed to target her own area, the intrusion of Narcissa, the strange dream, and finally the book's writing of the events. All led to a large puzzle which she held only one piece; the book within her lap. Her thoughts, though, were soon interrupted by the sun rising in the horizon, allowing light into her apartment as she suddenly had to stifle a yawn.

The dream, though part of sleep, had apparently given her no rest and Seras' body demanded she return to the land of Morpheus. Without refusal she stood and placed the book upon the table, noticing the cover was strangely devoid of any area for a title, and wandered to her bedroom. As she put on her nightgown and slipped into bed, she could only manage one final thought before she began gathering her much needed rest.

Her world had gotten complicated, and it was only a matter of time before events worsened.


	4. Forbidden Fruit

A/N: An addition to a growing addition.

**Forbidden Fruit**

Seras opened her eyes and realized she had once more stumbled into the recurring strange dreams, the moon high ahead showing the time of day. She appeared to be in the same woods as the first vision, clothed again only in her nightshirt, but there was an unusual odor in the air which she did not recognize. On the wind there were also the sounds of many voices and the clattering of metal upon metal, all making a great din which interrupted the peace of the forest. As she had no other choice, she used her senses and followed the sounds and smells which grew stronger with each step.

Soon Seras could discern a larger meadow ahead and the trees around her began to thin. The noise and odor had began to bother her as loud screams echoed in the air while the wind seemed filled with the scent of something burning. She had to cover her nose to keep from vomiting as the smell grew stronger, but she could not hide from the awful sounds which emanated from the open area.

Before Seras could reach the dreaded meadow, however, she heard the beating of hooves coming in her direction from her side. She turned her head and watched as if rooted to the spot as two horsemen, one chasing the other, furiously galloped toward herself. The young woman barely had time to jump out of the way before the first horse came barreling down where she had just stood, the steed's nostrils flaring as the second rider came upon them quickly.

To Seras' horror she watched as the second horseman swung a large sword and severed the head of the first rider, causing blood to spill forth from the dead man's neck as his lifeless corpse dropped to the ground. The horse, terrified, continued without its master and sped off into the woods. Rather than chase after the loose steed, as she thought the living combatant would do, he instead turned and began galloping back to where she stood.

With eyes full of fear as she remembered her last dream of wild men, Seras turned and ran in the direction the horsemen had come. She was no match for the steed, however, and soon she tripped over a branch and fell upon the ground as the rider came down upon her fallen form. The young woman flipped over and scrambled across the ground as the rider dismounted and walked toward where she sat.

With a cry Seras tried to stand and run, but strong hands grasped on of her own and she was pulled against a foul-smelling chest with armor plating. She coughed upon the smell and struggled to gain freedom, but her captive merely laughed at her vain tries and tightened his grip as he began to drag her toward his horse.

"Let me go!" she demanded through the stifling smell as he hefted her up onto the rough saddle.

"I don't think so" the man plainly spoke as he seated himself behind his captive and, placing his arms on either side as barriers, grabbed the reins and ordered the horse forward at a fast trot.

Seras could only sit quietly as he turned the steed toward the noise of the meadow, though now the sounds were not at loud as they had once been. The smell, however, had not improved and she still found herself gagging to keep her food within her stomach. The effort proved almost impossible as the clearing came into view.

Seras' eyes widened in horror and disgust as she caught her first full view of the meadow. The carnage of a battle lay spread out before them as they trudged their way around the last efforts of a fruitless battle. Slain warriors lay scattered about, some heaped upon their comrades and others found side by side with their foe. Blood coated what had once been fine grass and a nearby stream was discolored with the red life liquid. The smell the young woman had noticed came from many corpses which had been partially burnt by torches which lay strewn across the ground, apparently to light the way for the groups.

Thankfully her captor soon turned away from the carnage and toward the opposite direction she had come, his goal apparently within a small group of tents which lay in the far distance away from the field. They passed wounded and dying troops as they entered the small camp of survivors, most of whom were exhausted from the long battle they had just taken part in.

Seras, however, noticed the hungry looks of even the most tired of the warriors as she passed them by upon the horse. Their eyes were less than kind and quite a number called out to her captor to halt his horse for some entertainment, but he thankfully did not heed them. Instead he led the steed to the largest of the tents, which outside contained two guards and a light could be seen within showing a large gathering of men.

Seras squeaked in surprise as the soldier suddenly stopped the horse and dismounted, his hands wrapping about her waist and pulling her roughly from the saddle. She was quickly handed over to a guard, one which looked more reliable than the ones they had just passed, and the man walked over to the tent. She watched as he flew open the flap at the entrance and spread his arms wide in a friendly gesture.

"You were to have the first spoils, weren't you, my lord?" Seras' captive spoke up as he stepped into the tent out of her sight. "Then I present you with a fine gift."

His words must have been a signal as the soldier which held her pushed Seras forward and marched her into the enclosed area for all to see. The rider grabbed her as she entered and shoved her into the middle on a waiting rug, as though showing her as some trinket. She shuffled nervously as all eyes broached over her thin shirt and ample breasts, every man thinking what a prize the horseman had brought for their lord.

Seras dared not raise her head and look into the eager eyes of the warriors, but a presence which stood before her caught her attention. Slowly she allowed her bright blue orbs to lift upward and meet the intense gaze who's strength of will had moved her to forsake her fear and instead succumb to her curiosity. To the young woman's shock she clearly recognized the young boy and child with which she had interacted in her previous dreams, though now he had changed drastically.

Before her stood a man, one of many battles and hardships who's shaven face did not yet show the ravages of wrinkles. He was seated upon a simple bench, dressed in armor with a sword at his hip. He was in the flower of youth, the early age of twenty and willing to fight for what was rightfully his own.

Seras blushed and looked away, her thoughts wondering if he remembered her from their previous encounters. The answer to her question would have to wait as one of the men to her left suddenly stood and stepped out into the center toward where she still quivered in anticipation and fright.

"My lord, what a pleasant gift your loyal servant has brought you" he graciously spoke as he swept a hand in Seras' direction. "But perhaps there is enough for each man to have his fill of the feast?" he asked, his words full of desire for the ripe fruit before the hungry audience.

"I think not" the lord replied as he stood to his own feet and grinned widely at the company. "Does anyone else wish to have a taste of what is not rightfully his?" he asked the group as Seras looked about in desperation.

The young woman feared more would reply and the majority would rule, but an underlying tone in the lord's voice silenced the other warriors. Not another stood with the first, and he was left alone and now unsure of his request. The lord looked to his wayward warrior, a strange and frightening glint in his eyes.

"You may leave to your own bounty, but leave mine in peace" he commanded in a firm and dangerous tone as his grin became more sinister and wicked with each word.

"Yes, my lord" the warrior answered with a hasty bow, and he made his exit without further conversation.

"Leave us, all of you" the lord ordered aloud as his eyes then slowly turned upon the young woman. "I wish to enjoy my feast."

The warriors laughed at his small joke as they followed his commands and quickly left the tent. The flap was closed behind the last and Seras was finally left alone with the strange lord, her body still quivering with fright. She had felt comfortable around the child and young boy, but the man who now stood before her was a new entity altogether. There was something unnatural about his entire being which disturbed her senses, and her only thought was to flee from the strange feeling.

"You would not make it far" he suddenly commented as he began to stroll around her form as he inspected his prize. He chuckled quietly at her astonished expression. "Your eyes tell me you wish to flee, but your body wants its desires granted."

"D-desires?" Seras stammered as she hugged her arms about herself in a futile effort to cover her body. "W-what are you talking about?" she managed to speak as his pacing further unnerved her mind.

"Your shaking is not from fear" he spoke as his footsteps suddenly stopped behind where she stood. "For you know who I am" he whispered almost into her ear, his words catching her breath.

Seras' eyes dilated as she felt a hand slide around her waist and her back was pressed against a hard chest. She now realized he had also recognized her, but his announcement was less surprising than what his touch was doing to her body. The young woman could barely breathe as his free hand slid up her thinly clad thigh and stopped just below the waist. His hesitation nearly drove her mad as she leant her head back against his shoulder and clenched her teeth shut to keep from gasping at his gentle caresses.

Suddenly Seras was turned to face the young man, his eyes showing a cool and mischievous glint as he held her close in his arms. His hands, however, never stopped moving as they rubbed gently at the small of her back, the motion causing the young woman eye's to lower at the soft massage of his deft fingers. His voice was the only sound which called her back to the situation as his lips teasingly nibbled against her ears.

"A prize well won, after such a battle" he softly spoke as his lips turned up in a devilish smile. "So I shall well enjoy the fruits of my labors" as the lord swooped down to capture her lips in a sensual kiss.

Seras awoke at the worst possible moment, her body quivering with anticipation at the kiss which would never come. She groaned and attempted to grab for the sheets, only to find she had kicked them off the bed in her fit of passion. With a growl of frustration she decided bed was not an option, so she arose and dressed for the long day.

The young woman ignored the daylight which penetrated through her thin curtains and munched upon some dry cereal as she listened to the clock upon the wall strike noon. Her focus, however, was still on the last night's dream, and the book which she could view sitting upon her coffee table. She could not imagine what had prompted such dreams other than the object which lay within her living room.

The strange dreams, the visitation by the even odder woman, all had begun with the arrival of the empty book. Now, though, she knew the pages were no longer blank but had been written upon by a hand not her own, nor of her unwelcome visitor the previous night. She toyed with the notion of sleep writing, but the idea seemed silly enough for her to chuckle at the thought.

If she could only find the sender of the package, or even the company which had brought the item, she would have a chance at returning the unusual book and ridding herself of the dreams and visitors.

Though the dreams were becoming a point of fascination on her part as she watched the man's life scroll past her eyes. Seras' musings, unfortunately, were interrupted by a ring of the phone, and she quickly answered the annoying machine.

"Hello?" she asked, her voice sounding tired even to her own ears.

"Hey, Seras" she heard a male's voice on the other side, one which she recognized as belonging to William. "The chief says everyone's to report back to work tonight as usual. The place must have been put back together, so we're back to our duties."

"Oh..." she trailed off as her excitement for the job seemed dissipate. Too many things were happening at once. "All right, I'll be there."

"Oh, and a final note" William added with his voice lowered in a worried tone. "The chief says if you get any more weird phone calls, you're to report them to me immediately. Got it?"

"Yes, I understand" Seras replied as she hung up the phone and sighed heavily.

Today was just not one of her days.

Late in the afternoon, as the sun was lowering in the sky, Seras set out for the police department in her vehicle. She felt uneasy about leaving her apartment to return to the job, but her sense of duty was stronger than the emotion. The book had preyed on her mind all day and she had been tempted to open the cover several times, but each urge had been quenched by an unknown fear. The line of duty would hopefully turn her mind away from such unusual thoughts and toward a more productive outlet.

Soon, she would regret not staying at home with the strange book.

Seras turned a corner and, with only a few blocks left before the station, noticed a well-dressed young man standing beside the road. As her headlights flashed upon his face she noticed he had an unusually large grin upon his lips, and his eyes glistened strangely against the glow of the beams. Then the stranger suddenly jumped out in front of her vehicle.

Seras stepped upon the breaks and swerved away from the young man. She nearly collided into a lamppost on the other side of the street, but she managed to turn at the last moment and avoid another accident. With a last squeal of her tires she came to a stop with her hood facing toward where the man still stood, her beams shining upon his shadowed figure and her breathing erratic in the car.

As Seras watched, however, the stranger seemed unaffected by what had happened and continued to silently stand in place. Then, to the young woman's terror, his head slowly turned to look in her direction, his wicked grin still plastered upon his face.

Before she knew what had happened, the man was at her car door and his face was peering into the vehicle. She nearly screamed as she stepped her foot on the pedal and the car spun on the road before flashing down the road at high speed.

The insane man was left behind, but Seras could not shake the emotions which he had stirred as she tried to focus on getting to the station. The man's eerie grin remained burnt into her memory, and she could not believe he had so brazenly stepped out onto the road. If her reflexes had not reacted so quickly, he would have undoubtedly been hit and killed, but he seemed to have had no regard for his own life.

Thankfully Seras soon arrived at her destination without any more mishaps and stumbled into the station with relief. The building had indeed been put back together, but there still were signs of the vandalism as fresh paint and scuffed floors told the tale. William noticed her tired entrance and walked over to her as she came to her desk.

"Are you all right?" he asked as she jumped in fright at his voice, but calmed as she seemed to realize it was only him.

"Just tired, I guess" she lamely lied as she fell down into her chair. "Still not used to the night shift, and driving in the dark" she explained as she organized a few loose files on her desk.

"You know, you could have taken the night off" William suggested as he sat on the corner of her desk. "The chief wouldn't have yelled at you at all, since you've been having a pretty hard time with this job."

No, that's fine" Seras quickly replied, her tone almost biting, as she rummaged through her things to figure out what was missing. The patronizing tone of her superior officer was more than what she wanted, and the differential treatment was not what she was looking for in the police force. "I can get the job done, sleep or no sleep" she spoke up in a more chipper voice as she gave him a forced smile.

"All right" William replied doubtfully as he slid off his makeshift chair. "But if you need anything, just ask" he offered as he strolled away.

As soon as he was out of earshot Seras sighed loudly as she rubbed her forehead. If things kept up as they were, she might think about taking that offered vacation.


	5. Another Intruder

A/N: Another addition, and as a treat to those who read this prattle, the final two chapters are already upon my site.

**Another Intruder**

Seras sighed as she dropped down upon the couch in her living room. The day of work had been slow, but she still felt the stress of the near-wreck which had taken place on the drive to the station. There had also been a slight uneasiness about the office, particularly around the homicide division, but she had been unable to overhear any of their closed conversations from across the large room.

"I need a shower" Seras suddenly announced as she slowly climbed to her feet. "Maybe that will make me feel better" she hoped as she passed over the book without a glance and stumbled her way to the bathroom.

An hour later Seras exited the room, her hair damp but her body refreshed as she sighed deeply in contentment. The hot water had helped to soothe her frayed nerves, and she had nearly forgotten all her troubles as she slowly seated herself upon the couch. However, her moment of relaxation was meant to be only brief as she noted the book lying innocently upon her table. With a quick glance of suspicion at the possible cause of her woes, the young woman turned her nose up at the item and rose to her feet.

Seras walked to her room and dressed herself in her nightshirt, her mind focused not on her task but on the book which lay beyond her bedroom. She had not bothered to look at the pages since the woman, Narcissa, had intruded upon her home, and still she felt little desire to see if more of the pages had been filled. Perhaps the mystery deserved to be unsolved, or perhaps she merely wished to forget the strange episodes of the past, but the answers were not forthcoming as she climbed into the sheets.

Seras happily nuzzled her face into the soft pillow as she smiled in comfort, her troubles forgotten for a moment as she drifted off into sleep.

Unfortunately, she was destined not to long enjoy her peaceful slumber as she suddenly had the impression she now lay in an enclosed space. Opening her eyes to tell herself she was only imagining the feeling, the young woman found herself staring into unfamiliar darkness.

The room she knew so well was gone, and Seras was now staring at stone walls wet with mold and mud. The air was cold as she, in confusion, stood to her feet and blinked in surprise. She knew she was again having a dream, but her senses were even more aware of her surroundings than in the previous instances. Her skin itched from the hard ground, her feet were growing cold from the damp floor, and she could see her breath as she breathed outward in fear.

There was also the eerie quiet of the cell she found herself in, for such was the room as she could see no light and but a single exit through a wooden door. The solitude of the area disturbed her and she desired to cry out, but she did not dare break the oppressive silence. Somehow she felt to do so would have caused great trouble, but how she could not guess.

Then with a slow movement within one of the corners did something appear, and with a start Seras realized she was not alone in the darkness. A shape resembling a man slowly stood from what had just been a mere pile of rags, and she realized his clothes lay in tatters about his thin form. His skin was pale from lack of sun, but she could tell he had once been athletic and youthful. Time and the cell, however, had taken their toll upon his body and he stepped uneasily toward where she stood.

Seras, in fright at the person's appearance and not knowing if they were hostile, moved backward and found herself against the grimy walls of the dank area. She quivered against the disgusting mold, but dared not move as the thing, for no longer could he be called a man, shuffled toward in her with steps growing in confidence. When they had come within a few feet of where she stood trapped, the being suddenly stopped and stared upon her person.

Their heavy, ragged breathing echoed in the dark chamber as Seras' breath seemed to have stopped. As the moments passed her stiff muscles began to ache and she could no longer unconsciously hold her breathing, but still the figure did not move. The only visible sign of their being alive was their own breathing, an action which seemed to shake their very being with the effort.

Then Seras, through cracked nerves and with the assistance of adrenaline, opened her mouth to speak to the creature.

"W-who are y-you?" she questioned as the echo of her voice caused her to flinch in nervousness.

The figure paused for a moment in their breathing, contemplating her inquiry, and then a slow, deep sound began to resonate from their body. Seras slowly realized the person was chuckling to himself, but for what reason she could not ascertain. Her impatience did not waste time in finding the answer to the creature's amusement.

"What are you laughing about?" she asked in an angered tone as she drew away from the wall.

"I laugh with the fates" the figure replied as his laughter stopped with his words. "Surely only they could have brought you to me once again, in this miserable existence which is neither death nor life."

"What?" Seras wondered aloud as she gave him a quizzical expression.

"Ah, but perhaps you do not recognize me, my divine spirit" the person surmised as he lifted his arm and pulled back a black cloth which had covered most of his head.

Seras gasped as the thin and frail features of the boy and warrior she had seen in past dreams was revealed to her once again. Now, however, his eyes seemed not to be kindled with the flame of youth nor the thirst for fight as they watched her expression. They were hollowed and empty, as though looking into a bottomless pool of water. His face had grown older with the passing of age but his jet black hair stood out in stark contrast to his white skin.

"What...How?" she questioned aloud in confusion as she took a step toward the boy she had rescued what seemed like ages ago.

Suddenly Seras cried out as he quickly strode toward her and slammed his arms down upon the wall on either side of her head. He leaned in close to her face, his eyes piercing the darkness of the keep as she gasped for air away from his smothering presence so close to her own.

"Why do you haunt me?" he whispered into her ear as his body was mere inches from her own. "You come with my fortunes and my failures. Years pass and you do not age."

"I-I..." Seras tried to explain, but even within her thoughts her reasoning was confused.

Seras was unable to explain why she was having such vivid dreams about the strange man, to herself or to her companion. But he seemed to care little for her lack of answer as his eyes seemed to penetrate her being with their mere glance, his withered features looking upon her untouched face with intense confusion. Then for a moment his bright orbs seemed to flicker with realization as he leaned in and touched his mouth upon her ear.

"What are you keeping for me?"

"Keeping?" Seras repeated in bewilderment as she suddenly gasped in surprise.

The man was nuzzling her hair with the care of one handling a fragile object, his ragged breathing loud and resonating her body. The young woman struggled to control herself as she tried to push him away, but though his frame was frail he did not move.

"It's been so long since I was with a woman" he murmured into her ear as his tongue gently began to message her neck.

Seras felt her eyelids grow heavy with desire as his hands slowly slid from the wall to clasp her thighs within his trembling hands. He pressed her against his body as his teeth playfully nipped at her skin and his hips pressed against her own. She felt they would meld into one if only...

"Kiss me" she begged as she squirmed impatiently against the wall, her need aching within her to connect their lips.

The man pulled back and grinned widely at his conquered prey as he tortured her with the prolonging inaction. Then he swooped down and their lips were mere inches from each other...

Seras' eyes snapped open as she suddenly sat up in her bed, her body sweating upon her sheets as she looked wildly around for the man. She screamed when she realized a figure stood at the foot of her bed.

The frame of a man was visible in the darkness of the room, one motionless even in the presence of her cry of panic. The young woman scrambled against the headboard of her bed as she pulled the covers toward herself, a futile attempt to protect herself from the intruder.

The figure did nothing but stare upon her form, and Seras slowly began to realize the silhouette was familiar. Her fear was rising as she recalled the night's near accident and the boy who had stood in the road waiting for death. The young woman's eyes widened as her body began to tremble with fright as she realized the suicidal youth now stood within her bedroom.

A weird grin was upon his face as his eyes were bright an unblinking in her direction. Seras could not hope for escape, as the only window in the room was to his right and the door was behind him.

"You again" she whispered as she felt the wood of the bed dig into her shoulder blades. "W-what do you want?" she asked with a quivering air to her voice.

The man said nothing in response to her question as he merely continued to stare, unblinkingly, at his prey. His unnerving grin and cool manner as he stood in her room angered Seras, and she threw caution to the wind in favor of action.

"Get out and leave me alone!" she cried out as she reached behind herself and grabbed one of her pillows.

With as much force as she could manage with the soft object, Seras threw the pillow across the bed with a sure aim. However, to her shock and amazement the projectile stopped within inches of the intruder's face and just floated in the air for a moment, as if filled with helium. Then the pillow dropped to the bed as swiftly as it had halted.

"Anger becomes you, Seras" the man suddenly spoke, his voice filled with a maniacal air of amusement at her predicament. "The flash of yours eyes, the tone of your voice, the trembling of your body" he spoke in a soft hiss as he set one hand down upon the foot of the bed. "Perhaps that was why you were chosen" the youth assumed as he continued to grin down upon the woman.

"If you're going to be as mysterious as Narcissa, then just go!" Seras replied in vexation, though her words appeared to have an effect on her intruder.

"So she was here already?" he mused as his grin slipped for a moment only to slide back on his face. "But she will make this ever so much fun!" he exclaimed as he gestured wide with his arms. "Don't you agree?" he asked of his trapped audience.

Seras only stared upon him as if he were quite insane, the signs of which he vigorously showed without care. Her silent look and lack of response seemed to dampen his cheery disposition, and he crossed his arms over his chest in dismay.

"If that's the way you want, then I'm going" he announced as darkness suddenly swallowed him whole.

Seras was left alone in her room now, with only the memory of the youth and his twisted words. She shivered as she recalled he had never once during their conversation taken his eyes off her, nor had his grin fallen from his face.

The next evening Seras climbed into her vehicle with some effort. After the most recent encounter with mystery she had decided against sleep and had eaten breakfast early. The food, however, and any sort of relaxation during the day, had failed to revive her strength. She felt languid as she shuffled into the police station and dropped into her chair. Her entrance had not gone unnoticed.

"You don't look so good, Seras" Captain Roy casually mentioned with light concern as he walked up to her desk. "Been sleeping well?" he asked as he seated himself upon a corner of her work furniture.

"It's nothing" she spoke as she waved off his concern. "Just bad dreams and such" she spoke as the image of the latest intruder remained firmly on her mind.

"Oh?" he questioned now with more interest. "I hope it's not about that caller you had."

"That's the least of my worries now" Seras blurted out before she could stop herself.

She clapped a hand over her mouth in horror as a low groan emerged from her throat. The captain was no longer amused with their idle chit-chat and his expression upon his face was one of accusation.

"What do you mean?" he asked as he placed his hands palm down sternly upon her desk. "What's been going on with you?"

Caught in her secret, Seras could do nothing but tell him about the episode the previous night and the near-accident with the strange She had enough sense not to inform her superior of the intruder in her bedroom, and was glad when he pounded his fist upon her desk in anger. The action made her jump with surprise, but then she glared at the small dent his hand had made on the otherwise perfect wood.

"Damn it, Seras, you were supposed to report to Officer Roy if something were to occur!" William scolded with anger in his tone as he drew firm with his subordinate. "What were you thinking?"

"I was told to tell if another phone call happened" Seras answered defiantly, which surprised both herself and her superior officer. She turned her face away in shame, mumbling an apology as she closed her eyes in regret. "May I leave, sir?" she quietly asked as every fiber in her soul called out to escape this situation.

A long pause existed between the two comrades as the commanding officer pondered Seras' request. Then he gave a long, drawn out sigh and shook his head as he lifted a hand to cradle his forehead in vexation.

"You're excused for the night, Lieutenant Seras" he softly ordered as he shook his head in concern. "But I'm going to have to tell the chief about this harassment. He may want to talk to you early tomorrow."

"All right" she agreed as she picked up her keys and wallet form her desk, all the while avoiding eye contact with the captain.

"And one last question" he spoke up as she finally turned to face him. "Have you seen him again?"

Seras blinked at his sudden inquiry as her mind tried to find the right words to say. Finally she could only decide on one course of action, and stared in straight in the eyes.

"No, sir."


	6. Murders Abundant

A/N: Another chapter of a short saga. One chapter remains to close the tale.

**Murders Abundant**

Seras staggered into her apartment and, disregarding her clothing, collapsed into her bed. She both begged and dreaded the sleep which her body craved, as she both wanted and feared for the dreams she would have with the stranger ever present. Her whirling thoughts and memories, mixed with those of the man's, caused her mind to disobey her body's request until long after the sun had risen. Then did she slip into a quiet and peaceful slumber, one without the inclusion of the man.

Seras was jolted awake at the sound of her alarm, and she clumsily reached out and knocked the ringing object to the ground. She winced as she heard the fragile thing break as it roughly hit the floor, for now she would need to buy a new one. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, the young woman finally recollected that she'd had no dream, nor had her rest been disturbed by unnatural visitors.

Somehow her sleep felt unnatural without company.

"I must be going mad" she muttered to herself as she stood and tried to get the creases from her uniform.

The sun was low in the sky as she sat down for her dinner which consisted of a bowl of cereal. Her eyes flitted to a blinking light and she realized a message had been left on her machine. With a groan of exhaustion she stood and half-heartedly pressed the button to play the voice mail.

"Hi Seras, this is Will from the station. Just wanted to let you know the chief is having a late meeting and that you should come down early today, about seven o'clock."

Seras gasped and looked at her watch in horror. The time read ten minutes until seven, and her drive took as long to get to the station. With frantic haste she forgot her bowl of half-eaten cereal, grabbed her purse, and slammed through her front door. She wasn't in such a hurry, however, that she once more did not lock the portal to her apartment.

Seras barely made the clock as she rushed into the station as Big Ben chimed the hour. She rushed to where a crowd of people stood, one which appeared to represent the entire force. The young woman sidled up to William just as the chief began to address the group, his voice cutting through like a knife as all conversation stopped.

"Murders happen on a regular basis, as they always do here in London" Harry explained to the officers, his face grim. "But there's been a strange increase in them the past few weeks, and these recent ones are more than ordinary."

"What could more unusual than some of the murders we've seen, Chief?" one of the new officers to the homicide squad asked.

"Well" the commanding officer spoke slowly, obviously hesitant to reveal the facts. "The victims had been all women, and they all appeared to have been torn to pieces." Then he looked around the group for a moment, and breathed deeply before finishing his explanation. "They also had their blood drained from their bodies, every drop."

The crowd was quiet as each allowed the thoughts and images of such a death to mull within their minds. Several of them shuddered at the thoughts, and more than one woman put a hand over their mouths in disgust.

"My god" Seras softly whispered, speaking aloud what everyone else was thinking.

"But what could do this?" William quietly questioned, even his humor dampened by the newest murders.

"We have no idea" the lead officer of the homicide division chimed in, a man named Roger Schumer. "We have had no eye-witnesses to the murders and there have been no clues left behind by the murders."

"So we're left with a dead end?" Will lamely joked to break the tension in the room.

A few people snickered, but the seriousness of the situation was heavy upon everyone's minds. Chief Harry merely scowled and shook his head in disapproval as he turned back to the group.

"We thought we'd brief you on these occurrences to make you more aware how important it is for you to keep your eyes and ears open for any clues to these mysteries" he explained as his eyes seemed to turn directly upon Seras. "You never know what may help us out. Now, you're all dismissed."

The crowd quietly dispersed, each with their own thoughts of the recent murders, and Seras most of all was heavily burdened by the news. She thought of the two visitors she'd had at her apartment, and their less than coincidental arrival with the start of these deadly happenings.

"Seras, I need to talk to you a moment" the chief requested as he caught her attention and guided the confused officer to his office. He opened the door for her and closed the portal behind himself, and invited her to take a seat. Her superior took his own chair on the opposite side of the desk and leaned over in a contemplative posture. "You heard about the murders. What do you think is causing them?" he seriously asked as he stared hard upon her features.

"Me, sir?" she asked in surprise as she blinked in confusion. "What would I know about them?"

"William has told me about everything that's happened to you these last few days" Harry informed as he leant back in his tall chair. "I doubt I need to tell you that what's been happening to you may be connected to the murders."

"But I don't understand" Seras confessed with a hint of frustration. "I don't know anything about these murders. I can't help with any clues or anything" she protested.

For a long moment the chief looked to her in contemplation, his fingers drumming against each other as he mused over her words. Then he sighed and brushed back his hair with a hand, a sad grin on his face.

"I'm sorry about this, Seras, I really am" he spoke slowly as he sighed deeply. "But in light of everything that's happened, to you and everyone else in the station, I'm going to have to pull you off the force for a while."

"But why?! Seras exclaimed as she stood to her feet in outrage. "I can still do my job."

"Not according to William" Harry countered as he picked up a file and tossed it in her direction. She picked it up and read the contents, her eyes wide in disbelief. "He believes you've had a trying time and should be given a few days of rest, at the very least."

"Will, you bastard" she muttered in disbelieving anger as she closed the folder and threw the file back to Harry. "Fine, if that's what you guys want."

"We only want what's best for you, Seras, you must believe that" the chief argued with a slight hint of a frown. "In a few days we'll reexamine your health, and by then I'm sure you'll be reinstated. For now, you're excused."

"Yeah, right" Seras answered as she half-heartedly saluted her commander and walked out of the office.

The young woman strode across the station to her desk and grabbed her purse as she noticed William out of the corner of her eyes. She ignored his waves as she brushed past the desks and walked briskly through the front doors, gaining not a few stares from her fellow officers. Angered and hurt at her temporary forced leave of absence from the force, she blinked back the tears and got into her car.

The drive home was silent as Seras thought of the chief's announcements, both the one in public and private. Harry's suspicions and her own had collided in that tiny office, and she had been left with little choice but to feign ignorance about the whole matter. But how could she really help the squad solve these mysteries? All she held was a dusty old book and stories which could not be corroborated by anyone else.

However, thinking over the developments within the squad and their increased worry about the murders, she suspected she would have someone waiting for her when she arrived at her apartment.

Perhaps her uninvited guests were growing anxious over their prolonged stay here in the city.

Seras tromped up the stairs of her building and, not bothering to pull forth her key, checked the door knob to her apartment. Not to her surprise she found the portal unlocked and, opening the door, found a visitor seated comfortably upon her couch. The room was unlit save for the light from the windows, but the street lamps were enough to brighten the features of her unwanted guest.

"You again" she greeted the woman known to her as Narcissa as she walked into the living room and closed the portal behind herself.

"Indeed" Narcissa replied with a smile on her lips. "I thought I would honor you with my presence, as I heard you were no longer wanted elsewhere."

"And how would you know that?" Seras asked as she threw her bag on the couch next to the woman. Then, quickly tired of the lame greetings they were both giving, turned her attention to the question which had been nagging her all night. "You're the ones killing them, aren't you?" she quietly accused.

"We need to feed, little one" Narcissa responded with some distraction as she turned to the handbag beside where she sat. The young officer's lack of surprise with her arrival made her uneasy. "And London has such a large populace, we doubted they would be so sorely missed, but apparently your captain thinks otherwise."

"They were humans, not animals" her hostess countered with a slight touch of anger as she towered over the woman. "You had no right to take their lives."

"Ah, but what right have you to judge us?" the monster questioned in her own right while a slow grin grew on her lips. "Perhaps you feel you are to blame for their deaths?" she inquired.

"I didn't ask for you two to come here!" Seras yelled as she covered her face and shook her head in frustration. "Why don't you leave me alone? Why won't you leave me with only memories of your horrible faces?" she quietly asked as the young woman collapsed onto her coffee table.

"Memories are what makes us" the woman explained, her voice low as she stared directly into Seras' face. "Experience, emotion, without these wouldn't we be anything more than an infant?" She slowly moved to the front of the couch and leaned in toward Seras. "But back to your question, the one about the murders." Here Seras lifted her head and blinked in surprise at Narcissa's blunt attitude. "There are a number more of us in London than usual" she admitted as she smiled in slight amusement. "They are all after the book which you hold in your possession."

"The book?" Seras softly repeated in confusion as she turned her head to look at the object at her side. "But what would anyone want with this worthless thing?"

"They don't know what they want" she mysteriously spoke as she stood and began pacing the room in some irritation. "They believe the book will help them obtain true immortality, or satiate their thirst for power, but neither will occur."

"Then what will?" the young woman asked with suspicion.

"Memories will be given to the keeper" Narcissa seemed to answer in a distracted tone, as though she were speaking aloud an ancient saying. Then she shook her head and laughed aloud at her words. "But I believe I've kept you long enough. We will speak another time of this, perhaps when you're ready to understand my words."

"Wait!" Seras objected as she stood only to watch the woman fade into the darkness of the room.

The young woman's call went unanswered as she slowly walked over to where the visitor had stood. With a sudden sense of unnatural fear she rushed to the light switch and illuminated the room. She scoured the area where Narcissa had disappeared, but found nothing which would have assisted her guest to leave.

With her adrenaline drained and the night still young, Seras gave up the search and firmly locked the door to her apartment. She cleaned up her forgotten bowl of cereal and warm milk, then dressed for bed. Slipping beneath the covers, she was entirely grateful for the sleep which soon took her wearied body to rest.

Seras felt as if she had just dropped off to slumber when her eyes opened to a different scene other than her bedroom. There were thin trees and a muddy river ran at her right, gurgling softly as she clutched her nightgown to herself. The area appeared to be a forest, and the air was cold with a heavy fog as she stepped cautiously forward.

The young woman stumbled about for what felt like hours as she wandered her way around the area. She could find no habitation and no sign of human life anywhere within the vicinity, and her fears began to increase as she thought of how she would get out of these woods. Thus to her glee did she hear the sounds of footsteps and voices coming from ahead, the human indications a welcome to her ears.

With renewed steps Seras ran on toward the people, and soon found herself within a limited clearing which held a pond created by the river. She stopped to catch her breath as she realized the voices were those of men, and that they were approaching where she stood. The young woman, faced with meeting these strange men, suddenly hid behind a tree for fear they would be unfriendly.

Seras watched as three men entered the clearing, all dressed in heavy clothing to protect them from the dew. She gasped as, even with a fine beard and mustache, she was able to recognize the mysterious man from her previous dreams. Silently the young woman was glad to see he had apparently escaped his prison, but he seemed to have aged the worse for his treatment in the wretched room.

His steps, however, were still light with strength and his features still heavy with youth as he stopped before the small pond. He turned his back to her and began the conversation, one which seemed to be of dire importance to all three. She could not discern what was within the discussion which then commenced between the three men, but her strange man appeared to be angered by their words. She frowned in frustration at not being able to understand their discussion, but her heart beat ever faster as their tones began to rise.

Then Seras noticed a flash of light and her stranger cried out in pain as he clutched at his chest. Her eyes widened in horror as he turned his face toward where she stood, and then could she clearly see the dagger which stuck from his chest.

"No!" she screamed as she jolted up in bed.

Seras stared ahead at the wall opposite herself, sweat dripping from her body as she clutched the sheets.

She knew the wound had been a death blow.


	7. Closing Chapter

A/N: The final chapter in one of my personally favorite stories.

**Closing Chapter**

Seras' hand trembled as she reached up to grab at the front of her night shirt. Her heart was beating furiously as she tried to recollect her thoughts about the dream and calm her nerves. She should not be so worked up about a silly dream, for the night apparition could be nothing else but a fancy of her mind.

"I need water" she spoke aloud to herself for comfort as she pulled aside the soaked sheets and, with unsteady feet, made her way to the bathroom.

She could barely hold the cup as she watched the water spill into the container, the sound of the faucet helping to bring her back to the present. She eagerly drank the liquid as if one dying of thirst, and then proceeded back to bed, the noted hour was still far from dawn, and the young woman could think of nothing better to do than return to sleep.

Unfortunately, she had an unexpected visitor waiting for her notice.

As Seras struggled along the hall back to her room, her eyes suddenly caught a hint of white which seemed to float in the center of her living room. Curiously, fearful Narcissa had returned for more babbling, she used the wall as a support to lead her into the room.

Seras' gaze fell upon a most astonishing sight. Within the center of her apartment stood a small girl with long, blond hair. She wore a plain and old-fashioned dress, and her eyes were of an unusual hue of golden red. The girl wore a hint of a smile on her lips as she politely bowed at the young woman's entrance, though her eyes never left her hostess' own.

"Who are you?" Seras questioned in a weak tone as she suddenly felt a wave of dizziness sweep over her body.

"Your caretaker, Seras" the girl replied in a soft, gentle voice.

"My what?" the young woman responded in confusion as she suddenly felt her legs buckle.

Seras gave a small cry as she collapsed to the floor, weary and feeling ill as the girl stepped over to where she was seated upon the ground. The little stranger stooped and reassuringly held her arm, giving a soft smile as she looked into the other's eyes.

"I will help you in this time" she offered as, with the strength of many men, she placed Seras within her small arms. "For now, rest" she commanded, which caused a strange haze to cover the young woman's vision as she drifted into slumber.

* * *

Seras stirred in her sleep, nightmares coming to her mind as the scene in the strange forest was replayed again and again. Finally she managed to escape the cycle and awake to find herself in her own bed, though she could not recall having walked back. Moving her head to one side, for her strength seemed to have left her, she noted the small girl seated in a far corner of the room away from the windows.

The short visitor sat motionless within her chair as her eyes never left Seras, though her gaze did change to one of curiosity as the young woman fully awakened. A large book was placed on her lap, and she had apparently been reading before her older charge had awakened.

The girl made no effort to hinder her movements as Seras attempted to rise to a seated position, but her efforts were in vain as she could not find the will to lift herself. Her breathing was coming out in rasps as she looked to the windows for the time, and found to her surprise the glass was well covered by heavy clothes. Barely a hint of the sun beyond could be discerned, but she safely assume the day moon had risen and was perhaps half-way through its journey.

With a small sigh of annoyance and fatigue she gave a small smile at her predicament.

"At least I have a few days off" she noted to herself as she gave a strained laugh.

Her amusement, however, was interrupted by another coughing fit as weariness wracked her body. Then did the girl rise and seem to appear at the side of her bed, a glass of water in her hand. Her visitor seated herself upon the covers and lifted Seras up to a sitting position. Slowly she gave the young woman some of the water, mindful not to spill on the bed nor the woman.

Soon the fit was passed and Seras' breathing had calmed to a steady murmur. The girl laid her back upon the pillows, placed the glass of water upon the night stand, and quietly returned to her vigil.

"What, no breakfast?" Seras joked against the strangeness of her situation as she stared above toward the ceiling.

"I do not believe your body can handle food anymore" the girl replied in a saddened tone.

"What?!" Seras exclaimed as her head suddenly shifted towards the caretaker. "What do you mean?!" she asked in a tone full of panic.

"Do not worry" the girl soothed as her voice seemed to flit softly about the room to wrap a blanket about Seras' mind. "He will explain everything."

"He?" she repeated in question as the girl's voice seemed to grow farther away as she closed her eyes.

"He will tell you once he comes."

* * *

Seras' mind softly wondered about her strange sleeping habits as she once again struggled out of slumber. The nightmares had not returned, but the slumber had not left her refreshed. Rather, she felt languid as she opened her heavy eye lids and looked about the room.

The covers had been lifted from the windows, and the moon was visible in the sky as it made its drip across the bright stars. She then turned her eyes toward the corner and found her steward still seated in the chair with the book upon her lap. The girl's eyes were reading the pages, and she seemed engrossed in the words.

"So you are finally awake" she suddenly spoke, startling Seras enough to jump.

"Yes" she managed to reply, though such a simple word proved to be a strain as she coughed with lack of air.

"Then I suppose I may come in" a feminine voice quickly responded as Narcissa appeared in the room. Seras could not see her enter, but now she cared little for the mannerisms of the strange woman. "If you're awake, it must be just about time for the tree to bear fruit."

Seras blinked in confusion, but her thoughts flew away as another uninvited guest entered the room. The suicidal young man, the one who had tormented her previously in the bedroom, now stood beside Narcissa. He also seemed eager to begin something, as his hands twitched at his sides. The young invalid was curious why they both stayed near the door, rather than pester her at her bedside.

"They cannot cross the room" the girl suddenly explained, answering her unspoken question. "You will not allow them near."

"Me?" Seras asked as another coughing fit took her.

The girl appeared at her side quickly, glass in hand and a soft smile upon her face. She administered a healthy dose of water before answering Seras' question.

"You body may be failing, but your mind is still strong" the girl explained as she once again laid the ailing woman down upon the bed. "You will not allow them to approach you in your ill health merely because you wish them not to be near."

"I'm doing that?" Seras murmured as her breathing calmed.

The girl nodded her head and smiled down at the frail woman, though the two who were ignored seemed unamused.

"Come, Seras, won't you let me come in?" Narcissa cooed as she stepped away from her eerie companion. "I just want to have one last chat with you before I go."

"I think not" the young woman replied with a grin of pleasure as she sighed in some comfort. "At least I can enjoy my illness while it lasts."

"Don't you wonder what's causing your illness?" the woman interjected with a laugh, all pretense of civility gone. "Hasn't your little nursemaid told you anything?"

"Quiet" the girl softly spoke, though the threatening tone within her voice stopped the other woman's teasing.

"What is she talking about?" Seras asked as she turned her attention to the girl. Her nerves were again starting to fray as she felt a heavy weight bear down upon her chest. She brushed aside the sharp pain of breathing and clutched at the girl's arm. "What is she talking about?"

"I can no-" the girl began, but then her attention turned toward the closed bedroom door as the sound of another portal opening came to their ears.

"Well, well, about time" Narcissa commented as she moved as far from the door as she could.

The silent man did the same as Seras distinctly heard footsteps walk down the hallway to her bedroom. The occupants of the room were tense as a hand settled upon the knob, which turned with ease. The portal was opened and all stared at the newcomer.

Seras was shocked to find the delivery boy standing within her doorway.

"What?" the young woman asked in utter confusion as the other occupants seemed to step away from the boy as he entered the room.

"I see I'm late for the meeting" the boy spoke as he looked about the room in amusement. "But I doubt too late for the finale."

"No, sir" the girl replied as she stepped away from the bed and allowed the boy to approach.

"Ah, Helena" the new visitor greeted as he grinned widely. "May I ask where my book is?"

"Here" she replied as she suddenly held up the object he desired.

Seras blinked in befuddlement as her eyes stared at the item, then passed over to the chair which now lay empty. She did not see the girl grab the book, but upon returning her gaze to the object as it passed hands, her mouth dropped open in surprise. Then did she realize the book the girl, Helena, had been reading was the one which had signaled the start of the current predicament, and the one the boy had delivered himself.

"You've done well" the boy replied as he looked over the blank cover of the old book. "Better than others" he insinuated as he looked over to the two jackals still standing at the door.

"Oh, but Master" Narcissa objected, giving him a sweet smile. "We were only trying to help the vessel."

"I somehow doubt your word, Narcissa" the boy replied as he then turned his attention fully upon Seras. With a soft smile he seated himself upon the bed bedside where she lay. He lifted a hand and gently stroked her heated skin, his cold palm chilling her fever. "But you have done the best of everyone."

Seras was unexplainably thrilled by his praise, but she could not fathom why. Her puzzled expression caught his eyes and he chuckled slightly.

"You were given an important job" he explained as he stroked her chin. "And now your work is finished."

Seras blinked in confusion as the boy leant down, his unusual red eyes glistening against the light of the moon as he smiled widely. The young woman could do nothing as he placed his cool lips upon her own, but the feelings were not unwelcome as they briefly kissed.

However, the action caused a sudden strike of pain to shoot to her head.

Seras cried out as she broke their contact and began to writhe on the bed, which forced the young man to grab a hold of her arms to keep her still. His grip was like a vice and she was held fast, though the pain only grew worse with each passing moment.

"This will not last long" he attempted to comfort while Seras watched in horror as his teeth seemed to grow longer.

Seras could do nothing as he swept down and bit deeply into her neck. The initial pain of the piercing was soon replaced by a gentle wave of calm as the pain subsided and her struggles grew less frantic. She could feel her breathing become more shallow and her heart slow as he drank deeply of her blood.

Soon his thirst was quenched and he pulled back from her neck, though now his countenance was drastically changed.

Rather than the pale boy who had just moments ago sat beside where she lay, Seras now found a man in his late twenties leaning over her weakening body. To her inward joy she realized he was the man from her dreams, the one she had supposed dead by the sword. With her last bit of strength she smiled and reached up, brushing one of her shaking hands against his cheek to prove he existed.

The young man grinned at her touch of affection, and he clasped her hand in his own.

"What trials you have been through" he wondered as he gallantly kissed her hand. "You did well through the journey, but I am afraid your destination is nearing." Her quizzical eyes told of her inward confusion. "I gave you the task of keeping my memories for me while I rested" he explained as he set her hand down at her side. "There was no one else I could turn to but a human with a strong mind to block intrusion" he spoke as his eyes turned toward the two at the door.

"Oh, but my lord" Narcissa protested wit open arms. "We are your humble servants always. We only meant to protect the keeper of your thoughts."

"False breathes, woman" the man bluntly replied with venom in his tone. "During my necessary slumber you thought only of the power held in those memories." His sharp teeth clenched in anger. "What poor lieutenants you make in my absence, filled with ambition and pathetic greed as I once again gathered my strength." Then the man turned his entire attention to the two waiting at the door, a bitter cold encroaching upon the room. "And you have both failed in your schemes. Now leave us."

The strange man growled in anger and hurriedly melted into the shadows, his vexed eyes the last to leave the room.

"Perhaps next time I'll have your memories" Narcissa spoke with a smile as she disappeared into the darkness.

The three were left alone in the room to their final conversation.

"Perhaps then" the mysterious man agreed softly as he turned back to the pale woman at his side. His eyes seemed laden with some unspoken and sorrowful mystery as the feverish atmosphere settled to a calm quiet. "I give you a sorry gift for your help in my need, Seras" he spoke as he smiled softly. "The price to pay in keeping my memories is your death."

Seras' eyes opened wide at his words and she slowly shook her head as tears fell down her face. He smiled and wiped the stray drops away, the fingers gently touching her cheek.

"But I have given you one final gift, Seras" he soothed as he stood to his feet. Helena came by his side and smiled down upon the girl she had kept for the last day of the patient's life. "Though perhaps all you truly need is sleep" he spoke as Seras felt her eye lids grow heavy.

The young woman struggled against death, fruitlessly attempting to stave off the one equalizer among men. Her breaths came slower and her heart beat slower as she slipped in and out of consciousness. She at last felt herself fall into the eternal slumber, one which held a single, final dream.

* * *

"Now do we allow Seras Victoria to enter eternal sleep. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust" the priest spoke as he sprinkled some earth upon the grave.

The officers from her station watched as the coffin was lifted and taken into the mausoleum. Harry and William were two of the palm bearers as they walked into the dusty house of the dead. Her will had unexpectedly instructed that she been interred within an abandoned crypt within one of the older cemeteries, and money had somehow been procured for the elaborate coffin made for her final internment.

"May she rest in peace the priest's final words echoed as they shut the door to the mausoleum.

The group wandered their separate ways, each to give memory to Seras in their own way. All thought of the day only a few past when her body had been discovered in her bedroom. Upon finding her blood drained they had opened up the cause of death as homicide, but few believed the case would ever be solved.

With her passing, though, the other mysterious deaths also stopped. They could only guess if there had been a connection, but no one would truly know the truth.

The sun set over the old graveyard as the last of the mourners left. The ravens, watchers of the cemetery, cried their call as they watched a sudden shine of light flit through the headstones with a purpose. The small girl dressed in the old-fashioned dress made her way to the mausoleum, on an errand for her master.

* * *

Seras seemed trapped in a large box, her hands scrambling to tear at the lid. She knew she was once again dreaming, but now she felt as if she were watching the scene from afar. The person, a man by the voice, screamed and yelled as he tore at the timber above. Then he was foiled again, now by dirt, and he ruthlessly attacked the next crust.

Soon they could both see a light emerging from between his fingers, one which signaled the end to his trials. For some unknown reason Seras was overjoyed as he burst through the last bit of soil and she looked upon the moon high overhead.

Then Seras was jolted awake by the sound of a heavy wooden door moving.

The young woman blinked in confusion as she looked about the total darkness which surrounded where she lay. The area was cramped, as she felt by the walls at her sides, and the air was stifling. She pushed against the top, hoping for it to be a lid, but her arms were weak.

"Patience" a voice spoke from outside as the top suddenly moved, revealing it to be a lid.

Seras winced as light from the moon overhead burst into her eyes, and she could faintly make out the form of golden curls looking at her over the edge of the box.

"Come, Seras" a voice softly commanded, which she recognized as being that of Helena's. "The Master sent for you" she explained with a smile as she helped the young woman out of the box.

"The Master?" Seras slowly repeated as she looked about her surroundings. She still felt faint, but the night air was refreshing to her limbs. "The man from my dreams?"

"Yes" Helena replied with a soft smile. "He spoke about not having another person forced to dig their way out."

Seras blinked at the message, then a smile lit upon her lips as she allowed the girl to lead her from the crypt. The night was bright and unclouded as they soon arrived at the gate to the cemetery, where an old-fashioned coach awaited them. Helena opened the door and gestured for the young woman to enter.

With some hesitation Seras stepped up and into the carriage, mindful of her burial clothes, and seated herself upon one of two sides of the carriage. Helena shut the door behind the young woman, and for a long moment she assumed herself to be alone. However, to her glee as she faced forward, there seated upon the opposite seat was the stranger from her dreams. He smiled at her obvious enjoyment, his body clothed in a fashionable evening suit.

"Good evening" the man greeted as he gave a small bow of his head.

"G-good evening!" Seras nearly shouted in joy as she smiled widely at his presence.

"I do hope you will enjoy my gift to you" the man commented as he leant forward and drew one of her hands into his own. "And do allow me to introduce myself" he spoke as he kissed the pale skin. A glint of long teeth made themselves known as he looked up into her face. "My name is Alucard."

**The End**


End file.
